


Mending

by Starofwinter



Category: The Umbrella Academy (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Background Relationships, Ben Hargreeves is Alive, Cuddling & Snuggling, Family Fluff, Multi, No Apocalypse, Puppy Piles, Sleepovers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-31
Updated: 2019-03-31
Packaged: 2019-12-29 21:00:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 442
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18301856
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Starofwinter/pseuds/Starofwinter
Summary: Their family is mending, slowly.Sequel toGoodnight.





	Mending

When Grace goes to say goodnight, all the beds are empty and stripped bare.  She's sure no one has left, so she goes downstairs, and when she reaches the living room, she smiles. 

All of the children are sound asleep, piled together in a nest made of pillows and blankets on the floor.  She glances at the forbidding, stern gaze of Reginald, and shakes her head fondly to see an array of knives stuck into the painting, and a slash across the canvas and wall. The children have gotten older, but they're still as messy as ever. 

Luther is stretched out at the edge closest to the door, ready to protect his siblings as always.  There are new lines in his face, but he's smiling in his sleep, his arms wrapped around Allison. 

Allison is smiling too, sprawled out mostly on Luther’s chest, with one leg hooked over Klaus’.  Between her and Diego, he's pinned down and covered up, and he looks more relaxed than he has in a long time.  

His arm is stretched across Diego’s chest, gripping Ben’s hand, and Ben is reaching back, their fingers linked.  He looks peaceful, the faint lines of laughter still visible even in sleep.

Grace still doesn't quite understand  _ how _ Ben came back, but she doesn't question it.  Her son is home, and everything feels  _ right _ again with him here. 

Diego, even though he's sprawled over Klaus, is reaching out for Vanya, his hand resting on the back of her neck, a sweet little gesture that Grace isn't sure he realizes he does.  

Vanya is on Ben’s other side, a little further away, more space between herself and the rest of the family.  She's still getting used to her powers, and coming to terms with Reginald’s forced divide, but every day brings more progress.  Grace does what she can, but so much of the damage is between Vanya and her siblings, and they have to mend things themselves. 

Five, stubborn and insistent as ever, is doing much of the mending.  He refuses to let anything fester within the family, and while his brutal sort of honesty isn't always the kindest way to enforce it, it is effective.  He refuses to lose his family again, and Grace aches to see the grief and pain in his eyes when he watches them sometimes. 

He's curled up against Vanya, all arms and legs folded up tight, and her arm is around his shoulders.  Grace can see hints of dried tear tracks on both their cheeks, and she leans down, kissing their foreheads as she pulls the blankets up around them. 

It's good to be a family again. 


End file.
